Australia’s WPC Group is providing ongoing training to the Kentucky Registered Apprenticeship team and members of the Commonwealth’s business community. The WPC Group was established in 1982 for the purposes of advancing an apprenticeship training model. Since their establishment, they have placed nearly 12,000 apprentices in stable careers throughout Australia.

The Kentucky Registered Apprenticeship Program team members are working to establish Employer Partner Networks throughout the Commonwealth in order to expand apprenticeship availability to better meet the contemporary needs of businesses. Also known internationally as Group Training Organizations (GTOs) and intermediaries, the Employer Partner Networks work with businesses to thoroughly assess workforce needs and develop a labor force of apprentices to meet current skills gaps. The Employer Partner Network members provide comprehensive services to apprentices as well, such as career assessment and placement, locating appropriate Required Training Instruction, providing intensive mentoring, and offering wrap around service providers to further support the needs of the apprentices.

The Kentucky Registered Apprenticeship team has established four Employer Partner Network members this year, including: the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, Organic Grassroots, Corp., Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky, and C-TECH, Inc. Organic Grassroots, Corp. and the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky joined the training class held October 25 & 26, along with Edwards Rigging, who desired to learn more about the Registered Apprenticeship Program in general.

The CEO of the WPC Group, Nicholas Wyman, was on hand to provide the training along with veteran apprenticeship manager, Janine McPhee. Wyman has spent the last twenty years consulting, writing, and speaking about the apprentice careers. He is the author of Job U: Find Your Path to a Successful Career in a Tough Job Market. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes magazine. McPhee is a veteran trainer with more than ten years of experience in managing large-scale apprenticeship placements for companies such as Mercedes Benz, Nissan, Esso and Exxon Mobile in Australia.

The Kentucky Registered Apprenticeship team members are Diana Jarboe, Tracy Osborne Clay, Brenda Demic and Stephen Tressler. The Program is housed under Secretary Derrick K. Ramsey at the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, Department of Workforce Investment, and is directed by Dr. Deborah Williamson.

About Nicholas Wyman

Nicholas Wyman is a speaker and expert on applying real-world solutions to the challenges companies face in ﬁnding skilled employees. He is CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation, which develops mentoring programs for corporations and places people in apprenticeship and training programs globally. He has an MBA and has studied at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government.